Fishing Blog primarily about fly fishing in the UK and USA. The objective is to promote the gentle art of casting the fly and catching beautiful fish. The author although a qualified fly fishing instructor with 40 years experience does not teach commercially but likes teaching and promoting fly fishing as a hobby.

Tuesday, 21 May 2013

The Best Present I Have Ever Received!

A year ago I
retired from working as a professional engineer at the age of 66.I had started life as a student draughtsman
at the age of 16.I had thought I would be
allowed to slip away quietly but my colleagues had other ideas.They put on a farewell lunch for me and my
wife, Rosalind and I were overwhelmed by their kindness.

As well as
giving me a personalised card featuring some of my fishy moments whilst running
the company’s fly fishing club, they presented me with two gifts.The first gift was an ancient book on
engineering (sourced from a second hand book shop by Darren Parker a former
boss) which my director Norman Greville urged me to read so I could stay
abreast of developments in the industry!

The second
gift was the best present I have ever received (discounting things like
children and grandchildren). Having felt
that the wrapped box weighed just over a kilo (2lb 4oz in Christian units) I
had absolutely no idea what it could be.However, I could see my boss Martin Bennett grinning from ear to ear so
I knew it was something special!

On opening
the package I found it was a working model (complete with driver) of an early
classic car called an “Autostirling A1”.

This model vehicle fuelled by methylated spirit uses something called
the Stirling Cycle (heating and cooling of air) to provide the motive force.The model is an engineering masterpiece. Enough of the techy stuff, to appreciate just how brilliant a present
this is you have to see it working.Please click on the video.

The present
was sourced by my much respected engineering colleague, Arthur Portelli , who
demonstrated its performance to everyone present by firing it up and running it
up and down the lunch table!

Since then I
have the regular pleasure of firing it up to demonstrate to grandchildren,
family and friends the best present I have ever received!

Footnote:The car was manufactured in Germany by a
company called Boehm.